Universal combination interlocking and clamping device



Dec; 21 1926. I

.' 1,611,305 T. B ELEWOOD, em I v UNIVERSAL COMBINATION m rE LocKme m) GLAMPINGDEVIGE Fii ed June 25, 1 25 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I319 o w zo 29 22 l Dec. 21 1926. T. B. ELLWQOD' UNIVERSAL comsmzvrxofi INTERLOCKI-NG AND CLAMPING DEVICE Filed Jfine 25' 1 25 3 Shee tS-Sh'eet 2 Dec. 21 1926. 1,611,305

, T. B. ELLWOOD, SR

UNIVERSAL COMBINATION 'INTERLOCKING AND CLAMPING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 25, 1925 mm wutd Patented Dec. 21, 1926.

I 1. 11. UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE.

THOMAS BENN EL' wooD, $13., on MARSHALL, TEXAS, AssieNoB. 0F srxTY omi- EmvnBEnTns To ALOIS r. rRENnEReAsT, 0F DALLAS, TEXAS.

UNIVERSAL comBINATIoiv ms mcme AND CLAMPING nnvrcn.

Application and June 25, i925. Serial No. 39,512.

This invention relates to means for mounting and firmly. holding in position objects of irregular shapes and dimensions while being operated upon by a workman, and at the same time enabling the object to be quickly adjusted into any position and fir'mly held in said adjusted position,

Many objects of very considerable weight and of irregular shape are nevertheless so constructed that they cannot be gripped or clamped in a vise without great liability of injuring the same. Moreover, many objects such as l'ubricators for locomotives, injectors for locomotive boilers, air motors, air-brake distributing valves; typewriters, etc.. are of such an irregular shape and, in making repairs, access has to be had to the same from so many difli'erent sides and angles that it is essential that they be turned or shifted to enable the workman to get atthe particular part needing repair .or treatment. In struc- Y tures heretofore used to support such objects, much time and labor'havebeen consumed in d smounting the same and re-f mounting them in adjusted position.

The object ofthe present invention is to provide a mounting for such structures which shall hold the structure firmly in any given position and which, without dismounting it from the support, can be quickly and readily adjusted into any desired position, .inclined, upside down, reversed, or other wise,-and firmly held in such adjusted position.

A. further object is to provide means for safely and firmly holding the object without injury to the object or any of its parts. Where objects such, for example, as injectors for locomotive boilers, while of great weight, are of irregular shape and with very light walls, difficulty has been experienced in mounting the same with suflicient rigidity or firmness without at the same time crushing or partially crushing some of the parts of the object and thereby destroying it for the purposes for which it is made. The mounting of such devices requires great care and the consumption of much time by the workman, and when the device has to be turned over or turned around or inclined at an angle for the operations to be performed thereon, this involves much additional time on the part of the workman in dismolmting the object and remounting it into the desired position.

A further object of the present invention,

therefore, is to provide a mounting for such structures on which the structure or object may be once firmly secured and thereafter readily-and quickly adjusted into any desired position and firmly held' therein without the necessity of dismounting and remounting the same.

Further objects will appear in connection with thedescription of the invention which follows. The inventive idea is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions, some -of which for the purpose of illustrating the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, but it is to be ex pressly understood that such drawings are for the purposes of 'illustration and are not designed to define the limits of the invention, referencebeing had to the' appended claims for this purpose.

In said drawings-. Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one 'form which the invention may assume; 1

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1, with the parts shown in adjusted position in dotted lines;

Fig. 3 is a section'on the line 3-'3 of .Fig. 1;

4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 1,

with the-operating handle shown in unlocked position; 1

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of Fig. 1, looking from the right; v

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig! 7 is a side elevation of a modified form of the mounting;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of Fig. 7 i

Fig. 9 is a vertical section on the line 99 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 10 is aside elevation, partly in sec- .tion, showing a form. of the. invention in which a tool makers vise constitutes'a part of the work-attaching element.

In said drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, 1 is-a; metal socket-piece having a flange 2 through which extend bolts 3 by means of which it is secured to any suitable support, as a work-bench. This socket-piece has a tapering opening 4 formed therethrough to receive the lower tapered end 5 of vertical stem oreolumn 6 with a snug fit. A- collar 7. is mounted 'toclosely fit the stem 50 as to be free to slide vertically thereon, and a pin 8 is passed through the collar and through a slot 9 in the stem, said pin serving to prevent the collar 7 from turnwhich teeth are engaged by corresponding interlocking teeth 13 on the collar 7. By this construction, the column 6 may -be freed from the socket-piece 1 by simply raising the collar 7 when the column is free to be turned on its vertical axis through any desired angle. The collar may then be again lowered until the teeth (TY the collar engage those on the socket-piece and the column is again firmly held in-. its adjusted position. This adjustment takes but an instant and can be easily effected even with a heavy weight mounted upon the structure.

The upper end of the column 6 has a hori-' zontal bore or opening formed therein and above this bore or opening the column is split so as to provide two cars 14, 15 (Figs.

4 and 5). The ear 14 is screw-threaded and the. pin" 16 passes freely through an opening in the ear 15 and is screw-threaded into the ear 14 as will be readily understood by an inspection of Fig. 4. The pin 16 extends some distance-outside of car 15 and has a handle 17 secured to its outer end by a pin 18. The end of the handle, where it is secured to the pin 16 is forked so as to embrace the end of the pin, and the ends of these forks are eccentrically formed so as to provide on either side cams 19. By means of the handle the pin 16 may be turned so as to draw the two split ears 14 and 15' close together or permit them to slightly separate by their natural elasticity intov the position shown in Fig. 4. This turning action'of the screw 16 can be accomplished by turning the handle and when the screw has been operated to bring the split ears 14 and 15 close together, the'handle being extended horizontally as shown in Fig. 4..the same may then be turned in either direction, upward or downward as shown in Fig. 1, when the cam 19, acting against a washer 20 surrounding the pin 16 between the cam end of the handle 17 and the ear 15. acts to quickly and firmly force the ears tightly together. i

Passing through the opening in the upper end of the column 6 is a laterally extending work-supporting member, preferably in the form of a rod or tube 21. the outer diameter of said tube being preferably such as to permit it to slide freely in the opening in the top of said column 6, when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 4, that is, in unclamped position. Said tube 21 has removably secured thereon a flanged collar 22 preferably throughthe medium of a taper pin 23 passing through the collar and the tube 21. For the purpose of adjusting this collar to any desired position on the tube 21, a series of holes or openings 24 may be provided in the tube, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The flanged edge of the collar 22 adjacent to the column 6 is provided with teeth 22 engaging corresponding teeth 25 on the stem 6. By loosening the clamping cars 14 and 15, the tube 21, and with it the collar 22, may be removed to the left (Fig. 1) so as to disengage the teeth :22 from the teeth 25, when the tube 21 may be turned around its axis through any desired angle and the tube then moved to the right Fig. 1) until the teeth 22' again engage the teeth 25 and said tube then clamped in position by turning the clamping screw 16 until the parts are fairly well closed, when the filial tighte .ing action may be quickly secured by throwing down the handle 17 to the position shown in Fig. 1, whereby the cams 19 will act on the washer 20 and cause the. tube 21 to be tightly gripped.

On the end. opposite the collar 22, the tube 21 is provided with an opening beyond' which extend cars 26, 27. One side of this .opening, and as shown in Fig. 1 the underside, is provided with a toothed flange 28. Extending through the opening in the worksupporting member, 21, is a bar or tube 29 wh ch has a toothed sleeve 3\. secured thereon by a taper pin 31. An anvil or other work attaching device 32 is secured on the bar or tube 29. which latter is clamped in position on the tube or bar 21 precisely as said bar 21 is clamped in position on the column 6. the' clamping being effected through the operation of the screw and cam handle as will be readily understood from an inspection of Fig. 3.

The object to be mounted may be firmly Fecured through the medium of bolts or otherwise to the anvil 32 mounted on the upper end of the member 29.

Let it be assumed that. when the-object ismounted upon the anvil 32, it is desired to perform some operation on the back of the object from the position that itwould occupy in Fig. 1. T he operator raises the sleeve 7 and turns the column around its vertical axis, say until the parts assume the pos tion shown in dotted lines in Fig. During this operation the anvil-supporting member 29 remains firmly clamped and locked to the laterally extendingwork-supporting member 21. which member in turn is firmlv' held in the upright column 6. hen the parts have reached the adjusted position desired, the sleeve 7 is lowered until the tea.- thereon engage'the, teeth on the socket-piece 1, when the whole will be firm- 1y and-immovably fixed. Now, let it be as:

I an? sumed that it is desired to turn-theiobject down so thattheworkman may get at the bottom part thereof. By properly operat- 1110' member 21 to be moved far enough to the left todisengage the teeth 22' and 25, when the member 21 may be turned on its axis through'any'desired angle and then moved back to the'right until the teeth 22' and 25 are in engagement when the part 21 maybe then be in the clamped in position by operating the handle 17, a preliminary clamping action being secured by means of "the screw 16 and the final clamping actionbeing secured through the cams on the handle portion 17. v The anvil 32 and the supported object 33 will 1n Fig. 1.

By an inspection of Fig. 5, it will be readily perceived that the anvil. 32 may be readily inclinedat any angle and secured insuch. inclined position by operating the clamping handle and screw for opening and closing theclamping ears 14 and 15-, and

that while-in suchinclined position it may.

be turned through any desired angle around the axis of the anvil stem 29 by opening and closing the clampinglears 26, 27.

Referring now to Figs. 7,8 and 9, there is therein shown a form of worksupport differing from that of the anvil shown 1n Fig. 1. Someobjects upon which work is to be performed have a projecting part in extending horizontal flange 36 throughand 9' provides a work support for the form of a rod or strong tubular portion whirh may be clamped without injury thereto, and the construction shown in Figs. 7, 8 objects of this character. J

Located in the opening formed inthe arm or member 21 is a ring split into two parts 35, 35 and provided with an outwardly which extends a pin 37'entering a socket or depression 38 formed in the-member 21. Preferably, the opening through the arm 21 in which the split'ring' is located is tapered inward from top to bottom as will be readily understood from an inspection of Fig; 9. The pins 38 serve to hold the two members 35,- 35" of the split ring in such a position that their line of cleavage or sep-v aration is exactly along the line between the-two ears 26, 27 of the arm or member 21. When any object, as the tubular member 39, is to be mounted, the twomembers 35, 3,5

ofthe'split ring are placed around it and the split ring then dropped into the opening in the arm 21 with the pins 37 entering pinholes or sockets 38, and when the ears 26, 27 are forced together into the clamping position by. means of the screw and thecam the handle 17 he may loosen the 'ears 14 15 so as to permit the work-supporting position shown in dotted lines" shown a tool-makers vise carried by the Work-supporting member 21. Extending through the opening in said work-supporting member is a bar or tube 29' which has thereon a toothed collar 30' secured thereto preferably by a taper pin 31', which pin plays in a vertical slot 40. On the lower .end of the tube or stem 29' is a collar 41 secured preferably by a taper pin 42, and a spring 43 reacts between the collar 41 and the toothed collar 30' so as to normally hold the teeth thereon in engagement with the teeth. 28' surrounding the opening in the.

work-supporting member 21. The collar 30, however, may be readily depressed against the tension of spring 43 by downward pressure on the pin 31. so as to disengage the teeth thereon from the teeth 28 on the wdrk-supportingmember, when the bar or tube 29' may be turned on its axis to any desired angle. The clamping cars 26, 27 have, of course, been loosened and, upon releasing the pressure from the pin 31, the spring 43 will againforce the toothed collar 30 upward so that the' teeth thereon will engage the teeth 28 on the work-sup porting member 21, after which the clamping ears 26, 27 are tightened as before described. I

I Carried on the top of the column 29' is a suitable anvil 32' to which the vise 44 is firmly bolted. -The jaws of the vise are opened and closed through the action of the vise screw 45 passing through the nut 46 secured to one of the jaws. The-rod upon which the screwo45 is formed is extended outward to the right as shown in Fig. 10 and a spring 47 surrounds the same and reacts between the nut 46 on the inner jaw 48 of the vise and a downwardly depending lug 49-on the outer jaw '50, a washer 51'being preferably interposed between said lug and spring. The outer end of the rod has a handie 52 attached thereto, the construction and connection of the parts being precisely similar to that shown in Fig. 4, the handle 52 'lll) having cams similar to those 19 shown in 'Fig. 4 and-reacting against a washer 53 just as the cams 19 react against the washer 20 in Fig.4. By't-his construction the vise holding the tool to be operated upon may be opened and closed through the mediumof the handle 52; the vise may be turned through any desired angle around the column 6, the work-supporting member 21 may be turned through any desired angle around.

its axis and the vise itself may becreadily adjusted around the axis of the tube or bar 29, thus rendering possible the adjustment into any position that may be desired by the tool maker and with the minimum expenditure of time and eifort.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the invention involves a structure wherein objects, even though of very material weight,

may, when once mounted, be readily and quickly shifted into a great'variety of positions, and when so shifted can be firmly held in the shifted or adjusted position, and that by the use of the invention great saving in time can be accomplished and without danger of injury to the object mounted thereon.

It will be understood that the invention is capable of being embodied in a variety of mechanical structures without departing from the spirit of the invention. Such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention are intended to be included in the terms of the accompanying shoulders on said work-supportingmemberengaging complementary shoulders on the column.

2. The combination of a column having a series of teeth around its lower portion and a series of teeth around a split opening in its upper portion, with asocketed'base having a series of teeth engaged bythe teeth on the lower portion of the column, a trans verse Wor -supporting member passing through said split opening and having a series of teeth engaging those around said opening, ing into member.

3. The having a tapered lower end and a transverse opening surmounted by split ears in its up per portion, with a base having a tapered clamping engagement with said socket and a toothed flange surroundingthe" upper end of said socket, a collar slidably mounted 'on said column and'having a toothed edge engaging the toothed flange of the socket, a work-supporting member extending through said transverse opening in the column, a series of teeth surrounding said transverse opening and engaged by a complementary series of teeth on said worksupporting member, and means clamping iid member in said transverse openin 4. The combination of a socketed base, a column and a work-supporting member, in-

and means closing said split open combination of an upright column tel-locking shoulders on said base and column, an annular series of shoulders on said column, a longitudinally adjustable collar .lar from rotation relative to said work-sup v porting member. 5. The combination o't an upr ght column,

a transverse werk-supporting member and a \wrk-attachiug device extending transverse to said member, an annular series of interlocking houlders on said columnand member, an annular series of interlocking shoulders on said device and member, and means holdin aid two sets of shoulders in interlocking engagement.

, (i. The combination of an upright column having a split opening in its upper portion, means mounting said column to turn on a vertical axis, interlocking shoulders on said column and mounting to hold the column in adjusted po'ition, a work-supporting member extending slidably through said transverse openin and a combined screw and cam clamping device securing said member in said openin 7 The combination of an upright column adjustable around its vertical axis and having a transverse opening surmounted by split cars in its upper portion, with a worksupporting member extending slidably through said opening, and a screw-threaded rod passing freelythrough one of said ears and engaging the screw-threads of the other car, and a handle pivoted to said rod and having a cam formed on Its end portion ad-- jacent the non-screw threaded ear, whereby the said Work-supporting member may he clamped in said transverseopening through the combined action of said screw and cam.

8. The combination of a vertical column, a laterally extending worl supporting member carried by said column, said Work-supporting member being provided with a transverse opening hav ng split ears extending therefrom. awork-attaching device extending slidably through said opening, said member and device having complementary interlocking shoulders held in yielding en'- gagement one with the other, a screw-threaded rod extending treely through one of said ears and screw-threaded into the other ear,

a handle pivoted to the endof said screwthreaded rod, and a cam on the end of the having a transverse work-supporting member secured in its upper end portion, a toothed collar surrounding the lower portion of said column, a pin extending through said collar and through a longitudinal slot in said column, whereby said collar has a limited sliding motion upon the column, a socketed base piece receiving the lower end of said column, a toothed flange on said base piece, and a toothed flange on the lower end of said collar engaging the teeth on the base piece, whereby said column may be adjusted to any desired angle and locked in such ada 10 justed position.

10. The combination of an upright column adjustable around-its longitudinal axis, a

transverse work-supporting member slid-ably carried thereby and adjustable around its longitudinal axis, a work-attaching device.

including a vise adjustable around an axis transverse to the work-supporting member, means locking said elements in their adjusted positions, and combined screw and cam mechanism actuating the jaws of said vise.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification. a

THOMAS BENN ELLWOOD, SR. 

